There are laws in place for service workers related to minimum wage. The employers have to make up the difference if tips don’t meet the rate for hours worked. It seems to me that’s not sufficient for the times.
Hypothetically, if everyone were to stop tipping in the U.S. would things be better or worse for workers? Would employers start paying workers more?
They didn’t say it’s pointless because it isn’t a big enough change.
They said it’s harmful because it’s screwing over the server and the employer (let alone the industry) probably won’t care.